http://www.fourfourtwo.com/statszone/8- ... per-anchor" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Those stats would suggest, that Valencia actually played more as a left winger, than as a left back, like some posters on here like to point out... . The fact that he tracked back Stoke's right back shouldn't be a problem. His wrong decisions in the final-third were even more frustrating.

Why is he being played as a left winger? If Alladyce had wanted a left winger he should have bought one, not spent £12 million on a striker to play left wing / left wing backJust play the poor fella up front.

LincolnshireHammer wrote:And I still find it pointless to play 3 CM's in Song, Noble and Kouyate. There is just no pace or flair in our team what so ever.

I agree. I brought this up a few weeks ago. I don't see us progressing with Song & Nobes playing together. Kouyate is still not the finished article, as he got caught out of position far too many times for a very good box-to-box-midfielder. That's why the club is looking for another robust central midfielder instead of either Nobes or Song, who looks completely out of pace at the moment.

Just stop giving it away whenever in posssession. I lost count the number of times we had possession ( Nobes in particular) and instead of moving forward with the ball, chose to pass back to Adrian who then kicks it long invariably to a Stoke player and possession thus conceded.

Crouchend_Hammer wrote:Why is he being played as a left winger? If Alladyce had wanted a left winger he should have bought one, not spent £12 million on a striker to play left wing / left wing backJust play the poor fella up front.

Valencia played as winger for his teams in Ecuador, Mexiko and the ecuadorian NT.

Romford wrote:I still cannot see why he was bought off...we only got worse when the captain came on.

The people behind me took great delight in highlighting Nolan's faults having totally ignored the appalling dross served up by Noble Song and Downing up to then.It can't help the team in a match when three quarters of your supposedly best midfield are underperforming yet again. Nolan seemed a reasonable sub to me but it should have been for Noble. I've no doubt that would have caused outrage too.Look at that break near the end of the first half. Sakho and Kouyate created a chance out of nothing but there were just the two of them no sign of Valencia or the rest of the midfield. Happened at least twice in the second half.I really don't see what the fuss is about with Valencia. It will be interesting to see if a new manager releases this great player that some people see.

Hockley Hammer wrote: The people behind me took great delight in highlighting Nolan's faults having totally ignored the appalling dross served up by Noble Song and Downing up to then.

Nolan seemed a reasonable sub to me but it should have been for Noble. I've no doubt that would have caused outrage too.

Agree.

Song was poor yesterday, but Noble was shockingly bad and should have been the one subbed. Although I doubt it would have affected the outcome, they were always going to score, it was just a metter of time.

Chicken Run Supreme wrote: Although I doubt it would have affected the outcome, they were always going to score, it was just a metter of time.

That's good old West Ham for you we had ample warnings about what might happen. 5 added minutes made it inevitable.My biggest gripe with our manager is that we are now the weak spineless West Ham of old. Toothless up front. Weak in midfield and cannot keep a clean sheet or hold out more times than not.

Alex Song was not superb, but the fine substitution by Sam, of golden boy Nolan, 25 minutes on pitch, 4 touches of the ball, 2 fouls and a yellow card, add to that we all know Carlton is on his way out and he is ready to leave and settle for a lower level. Dowling supporting Sam in the media, well Stu your England place has well and been shot again as he is not the player he was before the wheels seem to come off our season?

Valencia played as winger for his teams in Ecuador, Mexiko and the ecuadorian NT.

No he didn't. He got moved upfront for his Mexican team and started banging them in. Same for Ecuador.Read the Ecuadorian blokes posts on here. He has been very clear about his best position. I don't know if Valencia will prove to be any good or not, but he certainly won't be if we play him out of position.

The left back is tiny, Noble, Nolan and Nene are all very limited in these characteristics, Carlton isn't 25 anymore. Downing and Jarvis? Valencia is tenacious but powder puff.

The squad needs at least half a dozen changes.

It needs to decide what its trying to be first, we seem to be stuck between two stools atm. As you point out those players aren't going to beat teams with power, pace and muscle nor though are they good enough consistently at passing teams into submission. We seem to be the worst of both worlds. Early on we caught teams out with the new players but this league will catch up quickly.

We are a mid table side that had some great results but has been found out a little and has gone backwards in terms of player performance because most of them don't have a plan b. Some of our problem is the manager, some is players, some the board and some the fans. If people want top 8 we need more than 6 changes, if they want consistent good football we need a lot more.